Dumping or unpacking truck.



W, V. ELLIS.

DUMPING 0R UNPAGKING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14,1909.

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W. V. ELLIS. DUM PING 0R UNPAGKING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14,1909.

Patented Feb. II, 1910.

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W. V, ELLIS DUMPING 0R UNPAOKING TRUGK. APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1909.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES: $4M @1 2 i To all whom it may concern:

WILLIAM VIRTUS ELLIS, 0F HUNTINGDON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO J. G. BLAIR COMPANY, OF HUNTINGDON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DUlVIPING OR UNPAGKING TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

Application filed January 14, 1909. Serial No. 472,251.

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM VIRTUs EL- ms, a citizen of the United States, residing at I-luntingdon, in the county of Huntingdon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping or Unpacking Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide an apparatus for saving time and labor in the unpacking of merchandise. useful for unpacking reams of paper (either wrapped or unwrapped), cartons of any kind of goods, prints or cloths, some classes of dry goods, cans of paint when packed in cases, other canned merchandise, and various other classes of goods which are adapted to preserve their positions when the box or case is lifted off them. The usual method of unpacking cases of such goods is by taking out the articles in small sections or individual pieces. Oftentimes the merchandise is full size to the case, requiring the use of fingers or hooks to extricate it, and involving a considerable loss of time. With the present invention the goods are unpacked all at once from a case instead of piecemeal, and all the pieces of goods in the case are made ready to haul or place at one time. At the same time the goods are protected from being buckled or soiled or otherwise injured or disordered. Outside wrappers or cartons are preserved intact and the packages are not broken. The cover of the case is first removed, and then the improved unloading device, which I call a dumping truck, (or a part thereof) is inverted and placed upon the open top of the case. The dumpin truck is made large enough to completely cover the open ends of such cases as are to be handled. The removal of the cover of the case and the application of the dumping truck thereto ordinarily take place while the case is on the simple hand truck by which it is carried from one point to another. By raising the handles of the hand truck and if necessary assisting the movement by taking direct hold at the sides of the case, the case with the dumping truck is entirely inverted so that its open end is now clownward upon the truck and the latter rests in a normal position on the floor. The open end of the case being then downward, the

case may be gently lifted, leaving the goods stacked on the dumping truck and ready to It is particularly be taken off easily or transported from point to point.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case on a truck, the top of the case being removed and the dumping truck being inverted upon the open case. Fig. 2 shows the intermediate position assumed in the inverting of the box. Fig. 8 shows the dumping truck with the goods thereon and the inverted box (in dotted lines) being removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the dumping truck. Fig. 5 is a plan of the same, with most of the floor removed. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a rear end elevation and a sectional view on the line 7--7 of Fig. 5. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a sectional and a front View of an adjusting means for a third wheel. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of another style of truck embodying the invention, inverted upon an open box. Fig. 11 is a plan of the floor of said truck. Fig. 12 is a cross-section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

Referring to the embodiments of the invention illustrated, the case is indicated at A (Fig. 1) located upon an ordinary hand truck B by means of which it is brought from a car, wagon, or the like. The top of the case has been removed and the dumping truck is inverted on the top of the case with the floor C of the dumping truck forming practically a cover extending over the entire top of the box. The dumping truck is provided with a pair of runners or longitudinal supporting bars D which have curved forward end portions E curving up toward the level of the floor of the truck. The truck is also provided on its front edge with an upwardly and backwardly projecting toothed spur F, Fig. 3. lNhen the truck is placed on top of the case the forward end of the truck carrying the toothed spur is shoved hard against the case. Then with the aid of the ordinary truck B, and taking hold of the sides of the box and of the handles G of the dumping truck, the entire box .and dumping truck together are inverted about the toe H of the truck. The intermediate position is shown in Fig. 2, and it will be seen how the weight of the case A. causes it to be gripped by the toothed spur F. As the inverting movement is continued, however, and the truck rolls over the curved iii portions E of the runners and comes down upon the fiat portions with more or less of a jar, the case A is given a rearward impulse sufficient to detach it from the spur F. The inverted case then may be easily lifted, leaving the goods as indicated at J in perfect order and condition upon the floor C of the truck.

The truck is provided with a handle K which is preferably detachable so that it can be removed during the inverting process, be ing readily inserted afterward to push the truck with the unpacked goods from one point to another. In the construction illustrated a socket at the rear of the truck is provided by means of a pipe L held by straps to the frame of the truck. The handle K is provided with a forward extension M adapted to enter the socket L, and with a crossbar N adapted to engage'under the rear cross-beam of the truck so as to prevent rotation.

Preferably the truck is provided with wheels to facilitate its transportation from one point to another. Three wheels are illustrated, a pair of front wheels 0, and a single rear wheel P which is swiveled for greater ease in turning the truck to the right or left. It is preferable, however, to provide means for removing or braking or otherwise rendering the wheel P inoperative during the inverting movement. Otherwise the bringing of the truck with the case carried thereon down to the position of Fig. 3 would cause the truck to run away from the operator backward because of the impetus given by the inverting operation. Various means may be provided for obtaining the desired result, such as a simple braking of the wheel P or any suitable means for withdrawing it out'of operative position. In the example illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 a cross-bar Q, carries the vertically swiveled bearing R of the wheel, and this cross-bar is supported at its ends by means of pivots S, so that it canswing down to the vertical position shown in full lines in Fig. 4:, in which the wheel Pextends below the runners or base supports D, or it may be swung up to the position shown in dotted lines in the same figure so as to be out of reach of the floor. A handle T is used for moving it to one position or the other, and it is held in the position to which it is moved by means of a spring U having a pair of openings either one of which is adapted to engage a pin V carried on the lower edge of the crossbar Q.

The truck may be made of wood or met-a1 and of various designs in detail. A suitable construction consists of an upper rail W at each side made of steel angles, connected at the forward, end to the end of the curved portion E of the lower supporting bar D, which is also of'steel angles, and connected to said lower bar at suitable intervals by braces X. Across the top are horizontal braces Y, the lower supporting bars D being horizontally braced by means of diagonals Z. The floor C is supported on the top frame of longitudinal bars W and cross braces Y. The spur F may be bolted both to the wooden floor and to the front cross-bar Y. The fixed wheels 0 are fastened to a suitably located pair of vertical braces X, and the cross-bar Q which carries the movable wheel P is pivoted from a similar pair of vertical braces X.

The toothed spur F which catches the end of the case is very important during the inverting operation in preventing the corresponding end of the case from falling away or tending to fall away from the floor of the truck, and also in preventing the case from sliding forwardly along the floor of the truck; and therefore greatly facilitates the work of holding the truck and the case together during the inversion. At the same time it is so simple and small as to be practically out of the way in the handling of unpacked goods on the truck. The curved portions E of the supporting bars of the truck are also of great importance in facihtating the turning of the truck and case from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3, since they provide for the movement with the least possible amount of lifting of the total weight of the case. The case and truck together considered as a unit roll about the curved edges E, and the motion is with long cases one of lowering the center of gravity of the case.

The handle K though ordinarily useful is not necessary where the goods on the truck are of such weight that the operator can push against them and move the entire truck without disarranging the goods. Likewise the third wheel may be omitted, or if it be made a part of the truck there are many occasions when it would not be necessary to 1 lower it. For example, if a case on the truck is shorter than the floor of the truck, the load will be approximately balanced upon the front wheels 0, and the trucker can easily lift or lower the rear end (especially with the aid of the stiff handle illustrated) as he pushes the truck, so as to clear the runners from the floor and move on the two front wheels only. On longer cases which extend say the full length of the floor of the truck, the balancing of the load on the front wheels by the trucker is more difficult, and the third wheel is then a decided advantage. The same condition arises with shorter cases when these are to be transported not necessarily at the front end of the truck, but indiscriminately at any point thereon. It is important that the third wheel be out of operation during the dumping, in order to avoid the tendency of the truck to slide or may be used without or roll backward, and in order to thus insure the backward movement of the case sufiiciently to disengage it from the spur F.

Instead of the adjusting arrangement for the third whee]. shown in Fig. 4 a spring may be used for lifting it out of operative position, and a cam or other means for lowering it, so that when the cam is thrown in one direction the spring will lift the wheel and when the cam is thrown in the other direction the wheel will be thrown down. For example, in Figs. 8 and 9 the wheel is pressed upward by means of a spring a coiled about the stem of the bearing of the wheel and engaging a washer 7) carried n11- der the head of said stem. The bearing or fork R is engaged at each side by a cam r: pivoted on a lug on the under side of an antifriction ring or washer (Z which rotates with the bearing B (being splined or similarly engaged with the vertical spindle thereof) and which is supported against a bearing ring 6 which is fixed to the cross-bar Q. The cams 0 are arranged at the two opposite sides of the bearing and are connected by a loop f which may be raised or lowered by the footof the operator standing at the rear of the truck.

l t is not essential to the invention that the truck be provided With wheels or that a complete truck be provided for placing on the open case and inverting described. A device constituting less than the complete truck may be used for covering the open case and for inversion therewith, and said device in connection with runners or other supporting means separate therefrom and upon which it inverted with the case and which forms with said device a truck for carrying the inverted case or its contents.

l Vhen the case is unloaded as in Fig. 3 the labeling or marking of the packages or cartons of goods is facilitated by having the 011- tirc case of goods together for immediate labeling. When the case is unpacked in the ordinary way each package or carton or piece of the goods is withdrawn and placed in position before marking, thus resulting in substantial delay.

Various means may be provided for holding the apparatus in engagement with the case. For example, instead of a single spur F at one end there may be used the apparatus of Figs. 10, 11 and 12, by which the engagement is effected at both ends, the case being clamped between a pair of spurs or dogs. Preferably a fixed dog F near the toe of the apparatus is used, and a sliding dog F is arranged to engage the rear end of the case, its sliding movement serving to adapt it for engagement with short or long cases and serving also to facilitate the disengage ment of the case when the apparatus is turned upright with the case thereon. The

turning of the apparatus jars the case loose from the forward spur F, as previously described, the rear spur sliding backward freely with the case; thereafter the case is readily disengaged from the rear spur and lifted off the goods. When the parts are in the position of Fig. 10 the movable dog F is shoved up to the rear end of the case and driven therein by a blow from a hammer or the like. This apparatus may be used for unloading a case which has already been placed upon the floor g, Fig. 10, since it does not require the assistance of the ordinary transporting truck to invert the case. This arrangen'ient is also advantageous in en abling one man to dump the case by simply inverting the truck, the necessity for hold ing the case in engagement with the truck by hand being avoided. It will provide for the handling of cases of any depth, size or weight.

The sliding dog F is preferably a sharp spurred upward projection from a slide it which runs in a groove in a cast plate j mounted in the floor of the truck, asindicated in Figs. 11 and 12.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a case having an open top of a truck for unpacking goods from said case and trucking such goods, said truck having a floor covering the open top of said case when the truck is inverted thereon and adapted to be held in engagement with the case while the two are inverted to bring the truck right side up with the open case inverted thereon and the goods resting directly 011 the truck, said truck having a curved portion extending from the base to the front edge of the floor of the truck whereby the truck and case may be inverted by rolling 011 a supporting floor.

2. The combination with a case having an open top of a. truck for unpacking goods from said case and trucking such goods, said truck having a floor covering the open top of said case when the truck is inverted thereon and adapted to be held in engagement with the case while the two are inverted to bring the truck right side up with the open case inverted thereon and the goods resting directly on the truck, said truck having a curved portion extending from the base to the front edge of the floor of the truck whereby the truck and case may be inverted by rolling on a supporting floor, said truck having a pair of wheels so placed that the case in normal position thereon is approximately balanced on said wheels.

3. The combination with a case having an open top of a truck for unpacking goods from said case and trucking such goods, said truck having a floor covering the open top of said case when the truck is inverted thereon, and means at the toe of the truck for holding it in engagement with the case, said truck having a curved portion extending from the base'to the toe of the truck whereby the truck and case may be inverted together by rolling them over the toe of the truck on a supporting floor.

4. The combination with a case having an open top, of a truck for unpacking goods from said case and trucking such goods, said truck having a floor covering the open top of said case when the truck is inverted thereon, and having a spur F at the toe of the truck adapted to engage the case when the latter assumes a vertlcal position, said truck having a curved portion extending from the base to the toe of the truck, whereby the truck and case may be inverted together by rolling them over the toe of the truck on a supporting floor.

5. The combination with a case having an open top of a truck for unpacking goods from said case and trucking such goods, said truck having a floor covering the opentop of said case when the truck is inverted thereon and adapted to be held in engagement with the case while the two are inverted to bring the truck right side up with the open case inverted thereon and the goods resting directly on the truck, said truck having a handle adapted to be removed during the dumping of the goods, and to be engaged with the truck to shift it from place to place.

6. The combination with a case having an open top of a truck for unpacking goods from said case and trucking such goods, said truck having a floor covering the open top of said case when the truck is inverted thereon and adapted to be held in engagement with the case while the two are inverted to bring the truck right side up with the open case inverted thereon and the goods resting directly on the truck, and means for supporting said truck upon a pair of Wheels or upon a greater number of wheels at will.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing a witnesses.

\VILLIAM VIRTUS ELLIS. Witnesses D. ELLIOTT J oHNs'roN, ETHEL HAMOR. 

